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Perfect Elegant Fruit Tart Recipe with Silky Vanilla Pastry Cream Made Easy

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An elegant yet simple fruit tart featuring a buttery crust, silky vanilla pastry cream, and fresh fruit topping. Perfect for special occasions or a refined weeknight treat.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – 1 ¼ cups (160g)
  • Powdered sugar – ¼ cup (30g)
  • Unsalted butter – ½ cup (115g), cold and cubed
  • Egg yolk – 1 large, room temperature
  • Cold water – 1-2 tablespoons, as needed
  • Salt – a pinch
  • Whole milk – 2 cups (480ml)
  • Granulated sugar – ⅔ cup (135g)
  • Vanilla bean – 1, split and scraped (or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract)
  • Egg yolks – 4 large
  • Cornstarch – ¼ cup (30g)
  • Unsalted butter – 2 tablespoons (30g), softened
  • Strawberries – 1 cup, hulled and sliced
  • Kiwi – 2 medium, peeled and sliced
  • Blueberries – ½ cup
  • Apricot jam – 2 tablespoons, warmed

Instructions

  1. Make the Tart Dough (Pâte Sucrée): In a large bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and rub into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Add egg yolk and mix gently, then drizzle cold water one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream: Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, vanilla bean seeds, and pod. Heat until just simmering, then remove from heat and let infuse for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly pour warm milk (without pod) into eggs while whisking to temper. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and boiling (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and w…
  3. Blind Bake the Tart Shell: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out chilled dough to about 12 inches diameter. Transfer to tart pan, press into edges, and trim excess. Line crust with parchment paper and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 10 more minutes until golden and crisp. Let cool completely.
  4. Assemble the Tart: Spoon chilled pastry cream into cooled tart shell and smooth top. Arrange sliced fruit on top in desired pattern. Brush fruit gently with warmed apricot jam to add shine and preserve freshness.
  5. Chill and Serve: Refrigerate tart for at least 30 minutes before serving to let set and flavors marry.

Notes

Keep everything cold to ensure tender crust and proper pastry cream texture. Blind baking the crust is essential to prevent soggy bottoms. Use real vanilla bean for best flavor or vanilla extract added after cooking to avoid bitterness. Strain pastry cream for smoothness. Arrange fruit artistically but avoid overloading the tart to maintain texture balance. Pastry cream can be made a day ahead; crust can be blind baked up to 2 days in advance.

Nutrition

Keywords: fruit tart, vanilla pastry cream, elegant dessert, tart crust, fresh fruit, baking, easy dessert, summer dessert

Find it online: https://bitematrix.com/perfect-elegant-fruit-tart-recipe-with-silky-vanilla-pastry-cream-made-easy/